CVE-2023-3609 — Use-after-free in Linux kernel's net/sched: cls_u32 component
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's net/sched: cls_u32 component can be exploited to achieve local privilege escalation. If tcf_change_indev() fails, u32_set_parms() will immediately return an error after incrementing or decrementing the reference counter in tcf_bind_filter(). If an attacker can control the reference counter and set it to zero, they can cause the reference to be freed, leading to a use-after-free vulnerability. We recommend upgrading past commit 04c55383fa5689357bcdd2c8036725a55ed632bc.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.5% (30-day exploitation probability)+6
- Technical severity (high)+6
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Debian Debian Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian | Debian Linux | version 11.0version 10.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 6.2.0 and < 6.3.9≥ 5.16.0 and < 6.1.35≥ 5.11.0 and < 5.15.118≥ 5.5.0 and < 5.10.185≥ 4.20.0 and < 5.4.248≥ 4.15.0 and < 4.19.291≥ 4.14.0 and < 4.14.322 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
version 6.4-rc6version 6.4-rc5version 6.4-rc4version 6.4-rc3version 6.4-rc2version 6.4-rc1≥ 6.2 and < 6.3.9≥ 5.16 and < 6.1.35 and 5 more≥ 5.11 and < 5.15.118≥ 5.5 and < 5.10.185≥ 4.20 and < 5.4.248≥ 4.15 and < 4.19.291≥ 4.14 and < 4.14.322 |
Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | cve-coordination@google.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Google via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/kernel
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · linux/linux kernel, debian/debian linux
- CVSS changed · 7.8
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2023
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
References
13 on the record
- kernel.dance/04c55383fa5689357bcdd2c8036725a55ed632bc
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/01/msg00004.html
- git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/10/msg00027.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/175963/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0099-1.html
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-2qmp-8j6q-mcq6
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230818-0005
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230818-0005/
- www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5480
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/175072/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0098-1.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-794697.html
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-3609
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Medium CVE-2026-98164 KVM: x86/mmu: Check write tracking in all address spaces 16d
- High CVE-2026-98163 cgroup: Avoid iteration of dying tasks with zero refcount 19d
- Medium CVE-2026-98162 smb/server: fix tree connection leak in smb2_tree_connect() 20d
- High CVE-2026-98156 drm/virtio: use the DMA API for resource backing on Xen 20d
- Medium CVE-2026-98159 wifi: mt76: mt7921: validate CLC firmware records 20d
- Medium CVE-2026-98137 ntfs: treat any nonzero dio zero-range return as an error 20d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2023-3609 is "Use-after-free in Linux kernel's net/sched: cls_u32 component", rated High. It affects Debian Linux (Debian); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.45% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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